Over on the Digital Songs chart,
fun. **’s “We Are
Young” (featuring Janelle Monae
**) claims a sixth week at No. 1,
selling 387,000 downloads (up
11%). That is the best sales week
for a non-debuting song since
LMFAO **’s “Sexy and I Know It”
sold 417,000 downloads in the
week after Christmas.
Most songs see a huge sales
week either in their debut week,
during Christmas time or right
after the Grammy Awards.
However, “We Are Young” saw its
massive 387,000 sales frame
without any of those aids. Since
SoundScan began tracking
download sales in 2003, only one
song has had a larger week that
wasn’t caused by a debut,
Christmas or the Grammys. That
was when Flo Rida **’s “Right
Round” sold 460,000 in its
second week on the chart —
March 7, 2009.
Finally, “We Are Young” is now the
year’s top selling song with 2.39
million sold. It has surpassed
2011’s No. 2-seller, Kelly Clarkson
**’s “Stronger (What Doesn’t Kill
You)” (2.25 million).
Back in the top 10 this week,
Gotye **’s “Somebody That I Used
To Know” (featuring Kimbra),
rises 4-2 on Digital Songs with
208,000 (up 25%) and the
Wanted’s “Glad You Came” slips
2-3 (though up in sales) with
183,000 (up less than 1%).
Taylor Swift’s “Eyes Open,” from
“The Hunger Games” soundtrack,
debuts at No. 4 with 176,000.
That’s her best sales week for a
song since “Back to December”
started at No. 1 with 242,000 on
Oct. 20, 2010.
Nicki Minaj **’s “Starships” is
pushed down 3-5 (174,000; up
1%), Flo Rida’s “Wild
Ones” (featuring Sia **) holds at
No. 6 (168,000; up 6%) and One
Direction’s “What Makes You
Beautiful” is steady at No. 7
(164,000; up 21%).
Clarkson’s “Stronger” falls 5-8
(151,000; down 7%) and Carly
Rae Jepsen **’s “Call Me Maybe” is
a non-mover at No. 9 (138,000;
up 12%). Closing out the top 10 is
Train **’s “Drive By,” down two
rungs to No. 10, with 125,000
(down less than 1%).
CARLY RAE JEPSEN: MEET JUSTIN
BIEBER’S FAVORITE NEW ARTIST
Overall album sales in this past
chart week (ending March 25)
totaled 5.46 million units, down
3% compared to the sum last
week (5.64 million) and down
16% compared to the
comparable sales week of 2011
(6.48 million). Year to date album
sales stand at 71.68 million, up
1% compared to the same total at
this point last year (71.20 million).
Digital track sales this past week
totaled 25.68 million downloads,
up 2% compared to last week
(25.22 million) and up 4%
stacked next to the comparable
week of 2011 (24.78 million).
Year to date track sales are at
334.70 million, up 6% compared
to the same total at this point last
year (314.59 million).
Next week’s Billboard 200
competes with the same week in
2011 when: Britney Spears **’
“Femme Fatale” flew in at No. 1
with 276,000 while Wiz Khalifa
**’s “Rolling Papers” debuted at
No. 2 with 197,000. The previous
week’s No. 1, Chris Brown **’s
“F.A.M.E.,” slipped to No. 3 with
91,000 (down 66%).